Knotters for balers and like instruments



Sept. 24, 19 68 EV 3,402,955

KNOTTERS FOR BALERS AND LIKE INSTRUMENTS Filed Dec, 15, 1966 INVENTOR Kenneth Evans By Z/WKW United States Patent 3,402,955 KNOTTERS FOR BALERS AND LIKE INSTRUMENTS Kenneth Evans, Bessacarr, Doncaster, England, assignor to International Harvester Company, Chicago, Ill., a

corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 15, 1966, Ser. No. 627,276 6 Claims. (Cl. 289-13) The invention relates to mechanism to form knots in the cord or twine of balers, or like automatic packaging devices. It is primarily intended for use in conjunction with balers which involve presses, and which produce bales secured by cord or twine by being passed there- :around, and being knotted.

The invention is directed to improvement in the kind of knotter in which there is an intermittently rotatable spool-like element having a pair of flanks or generally disc-like shape which flanks have recesses inwardly from their margins, and in which part of the twine has to lie during the action, between such flanks and be retained during a step of rotation of the element. Such a knotter has a strickle plate or member which rides between the flanks and surrounds an arc of the hub-part between the flanks. It has been proposed to use a clamping plate which has a concave arcuate edge corresponding in general to the convex arcuate shape of the strickle plate and which, being pivotally mounted, is resiliently urged about its pivot so as to bear towards the strickle plate.

A knotter for a baler or like automatic packaging device, of the type having a strickle plate with a convex arcuate outer edge and a clamping plate movable relative to the strickle plate and having a corresponding concave arcuate inner edge, the strickle plate riding between the flanks of a spool-like element is characterized in that the clamping plate is resiliently mounted in such a manner as to be movable against such resilience in any sense in the plane of rotation of the spool-like element,

Such a plate is, according further to the invention, preferably mounted by two spaced attachments to a leaf spring (which may be one, anchored, length of Spring or may have two parts mutually anchored to a fixed part of the knotter), the effect of such leaf spring (or composite leaf spring)) being such as to locate the clamping plate by means of the spring at or near both of its arcuately spaced ends, subject to resilience both radially (i.e. towards and away from the strickle plate) and in the direction of rotation.

This affords advantage, in that either or both ends of the clamping plate can move (against resilience) relatively to the strickle plate, and consequently a wedging action which may arise when the clamping plate is merely pivoted, is avoided. Moreover, the clamping plate as a whole can retreat uniformly from the strickle plate so that twine of different thickness is more easily accommodated.

The invention will now be further described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic drawing of one example of the invention; and

FIGURE 2 is a schematic drawing of a variant of the example shown in FIGURE 1.

In each case, the clamping plate is shown at 1, and as ice shown in FIGURE 1 its concave arcuate profile 2 bears towards the complementary convex profile 3 of the strickle plate 4. The spool-like element, which forms no part of the invention and is not shown, pivots about on axis 1A.

In FIGURE 1, the clamping plate 1 is movably located by the engagement in a hook-like recess of the scrolled end 5 of a leaf spring 6. The spring 6 is rigidly attached, as by studs 7 to a fixed part of the knotter. The other end of the spring 6 bears, at 8, against the clamping plate 1. Obviously, the spring 6 may be made in two parts, each secured by a stud 7. It is also obvious that the bearingforce of the spring 6 on the clamping plate, as of either or both ends, may be adjustable by shims, washers, or other means, at its anchorage. Either end of the clamping plate may move away from or towards the strickle plate against the respective spring force, and in certain conditions the whole clamping plate could move, against resilience, in the arcuate or circumferential direction.

FIGURE 2 illustrates a variant in which the leaf spring is bolted at 9 to the clamping plate 1, the device being in other respects the same. Here again, adjustment may be afforded as between the spring and the clamping plate by various simple means.

In either example, at the end of the spring near 8 may be some form of packing, or may be a set-screw, to adjust the spring-force exerted.

What is claimed is:

1. A knotter for a baler or like automatic packaging device, of the type having a strickle plate with a convex arcuate outer edge and a clamping plate movable relative to the strickle plate and having a corresponding concave arcuate inner edge, the strickle plate riding between the flanks of a spool-like element characterized in that the clamping plate is resiliently mounted in such a manner as to be movable against such resilience in any sense in the plane of rotation of the spool-like element.

2. A knotter according to claim 1 in which the clamping plate is mounted by two spaced attachments to a leaf spring anchored to a fixed part of the knotter.

3. A knotter according to claim 2 in which the leaf spring has two parts mutually anchored to the fixed part of the knotter.

4. A knotter according to claim 1 in which the clamping plate is resiliently mounted by the engagement of one end of the leaf spring in a recess for-med in the clamping plate and by the other end of the leaf spring being adapted for bearing against the clamping plate.

5. A knotter according to claim 4 in which said one end of the leaf spring is in the form of a scroll engaging in a hook-like recess formed in the clamping plate.

6. A knotter according to claim 1 in which the clamping plate is resiliently mounted by the rigid attachment of one end of the leaf spring to the clamping plate and by the other end of the leaf spring being adapted for hearing against the clamping plate.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 744,153 11/1903 Appleby 289-14 2,815,233 12/1957 Collins 289-13 3,232,652 2/ 1966 Bonga 289-14 LOUIS K. RIMRODT, Primary Examiner. 

1. A KNOTTER FOR A BALER OR LIKE AUTOMATIC PACKAGING DEVICE, OF THE TYPE HAVING A STRICKLE PLATE WITH A CONVEX ARCUATE OUTER EDGE AND A CLAMPING PLATE MOVABLE RELATIVE TO THE STRICKLE PLATE AND HAVING A CORRESPONDING CONCAVE ARCUATE INNER EDGE, THE STRICKLE PLATE RIDING BETWEEN THE FLANKS OF A SPOOL-LIKE ELEMENT CHARACTERIZED IN THAT THE CLAMPING PLATE IS RESILIENTLY MOUNTED IN SUCH A MANNER AS TO BE MOVABLE AGAINST SUCH RESILIENCE IN ANY SENSE IN THE PLANE OF ROTATION OF THE SPOOL-LIKE ELEMENT. 